Venini

In 1921, Paolo Venini, a lawyer from Milan, and Giacomo Cappellin, an antiques dealer from Venice, established a glass factory in Murano—a series of islands famous for its glass making. Venini and Cappellin enlisted the painter Vittorio Zecchin to serve as the artistic director. In 1925, Venini and Cappellin went their separate ways and Venini established Venini & C. with Napoleone Martinuzzi serving as artistic director. Venini distinguished itself by creating designs that were rooted in the Venetian glass making tradition, but also embraced Modernism. Venini enlisted a number of important Modernist designers and architects, including Carlo Scarpa, Gio Ponti, and Tyra Lundgren, to create pioneering works for them. Paolo Venini, who designed a number of well-known pieces himself, managed the company until his death in 1959. Venini glass chandeliers lighting and design remain popular worldwide today.